The Big Picture
by C-kun
Summary: A song fic, based on "In the End," by Linkin Park, containing scenes from the last day of the Silver Millenium to far in the future, where Neo-Queen Serenity reigns over Crystal Tokyo.


Book, Staff, and Spirit Productions

Proudly Presents

A Lovecraftian Song Fic, based on "In the End," by Linkin Park

Set in the world of Sailor Moon:

The Big Picture

"In the End," Queen Serenity said with a sigh, "It couldn't last forever. Too much infighting, too much politicking, too much corruption, not enough paying attention to what was important." Tears were running down her face as she spoke to her advisors, the royal Lunarian cats, Luna and Artemis. They gazed out across the landscape of the moon, grief stricken over the massive devastation the attack of the Dark Kingdom, once known as Atlantis, had caused. 

"No, you majesty, don't say..." Luna trailed off, because what the Queen was saying was absolutely true, and they all knew it. 

Serenity continued to flow down her cheeks as she spoke. "All the great civilizations of Earth fell, eventually, ever since there were civilizations that could fall. Hyperborea, Lomar, Mu... even the non-human civilizations of the serpent-people and the Old Ones. They all crumbled in the end. Now, wondrous Atlantis has descended into Darkness, and taken our Kingdom of the Moon with it." She laughed bitterly. "But I won't let the Darkness reign forever! I still have the Crystal..."

Artemis's eyes widened. "Your Majesty! No! If you use the Crystal, you'll die!"

Again, the Queen laughed. "Do you really think they will let me live when they find me? If they get their hands on the crystal, the Darkness shall truly never lift. No, I shall seal the Dark Kingdom away, and send the souls of all my people to the far future of Earth, so that they may live peaceful lives..."

Luna bowed her head in acquiescence. "As you wish, your Majesty..."

Serenity grasped the Silver Crystal, and raised it over her head, channeling its power. As she did so, she addressed Luna and Artemis. "You two, I shall put into stasis, and you will be responsible for the protection of my daughter reborn!"

They gasped, rather melodramatically. "Your Majesty? What do you mean?"

"If the Dark Kingdom ever breaks free, you shall be responsible for finding the Senshi and teaching them to defend the planet once again. Please do not fail me, my dear friends..."

It was both an order, and a last request. How could the two cats refuse? And so, they watched as the incredible silver light drove away the Darkness, and every body of a Lunarian in the battle field had its spirit peeled away and sent tumbling to Earth. And the last thing they saw before falling into their own frozen slumber was their Queen collapsing silently to the ground.

~*~  
  
(It starts with)  
One thing / I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try  
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme  
To explain in due time

~*~

  
"All I know," the talking black cat said to the flabbergasted girl, "is that you are the one called Sailor Moon, and are here to protect this world from terrible evil."

"But, but, I don't want to be a soldier! This is very neat, and all, but I could get hurt!" Usagi cried.

Before she could go on, the images of her best friend Naru being attacked by the horrible youma that had replaced her mother appeared on the inside lenses of her mask. Usagi, knowing that she couldn't leave Naru to her fate, charged off to face her very first battle, even though she had no desire to be a Senshi.

~*~

  
Time is a valuable thing  
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings  
Watch it count down to the end of the day  
The clock ticks life away

~*~

  
"It's so unreal." Makoto spoke for all of them as the five Senshi gathered at Hiwaka Temple. "Even though I've been through all those battles, I sometimes wake up wondering if it was all a dream... Being reincarnated magical warriors from the Moon, fighting against the return of an evil, magical enemy. It all seems a little silly."

Minako shrugged. "Well, I've been fighting for over a year now, and that's an awful long time to be caught in a silly dream. You know what they say: When you have gotten rid of everything impossible, then what you've got left should have been pretty obvious."

The others all blinked. "Uh, sure..." Rei replied.

~*~

  
Didn't look out below  
Watch the time go right out the window  
Trying to hold on / but didn't even know  
Wasted it all just to

~*~

  
"...watch you go..." Sailor Mars gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the pain. "I can at least manage that much..."

Sailor Moon sobbed at her friend's side. "But, but... oh, God, Mars! I don't know if I can do this without you! Not after everything else! I _can't do this without you!"_

To Moon's surprise, Mars's good arm darted out and caught her by the collar, pulling her in close. "Sailor Moon, if you don't at least try, none of this will even matter! Beryl will win, and we'll all have died for nothing! You've got to go on and do your best, Sailor Moon! You've just got to!" Her strength exhausted, she let go and fell back. "Goodbye, Sailor Moon..." she whispered, and closed her eyes.

"NO!" Moon screamed. "NO! MARS! COME BACK TO ME!"

She couldn't cry for long. Not after crying for the others. After a bit, she managed to push herself to her feet, and stared resolutely towards Beryl's headquarters. "I have to go on..." she whispered. Then, stronger, "I have to. For Mars. For Mercury, and Jupiter, and Venus. For all my friends, I will end this, Beryl!"

And the savior of the world took the first step of her final journey... at least for the first series.

~*~

  
I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart  
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when 

I tried so hard,  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter...!

~*~

"One thing," Sailor Mercury commented, "that bothers me is that they really weren't that evil..."

It was immediately after the final battle with the Black Moon Clan. The five Sailor Suited Warriors for Love and Justice were sitting in Rei's room resting. It had been a horrible battle, but they had prevailed. 

Sailor Mars glared at her. "Weren't that evil? They were trying to destroy our future! Kill every one of our future selves!"

Mercury sighed. "All they wanted was reform. I admit, they hardly chose the best way to go about it, but, ultimately, they just wanted a voice... They just wanted some democracy... to have more of a say in their own lives... They were no different that a hundred million people out there right this very instant..."

Mars couldn't argue with this.

~*~

I don't know why  
It doesn't even matter how hard you try  
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme  
To remind myself how

~*~

"I tried so hard," Usagi sobbed over the still bodies of Sailors Uranus and Neptune, as the Talismans floated silently. She had been terrified to come to the Marine Cathedral without her brooch, but she'd been even more terrified that her friends would be hurt. Now, her greatest fears had been realized. 

Usagi had her brooch back, but she didn't know what to do. She wanted to put the Talismans back, but she didn't know how. Desperately, she reached for the Space Sword; suddenly, between one blink and the next, it was gone. Then, behind her, she heard the laugh...

"Mwa ha ha ha!" Eugial mocked. "Now I have two Talismans! I'll be the Director yet!"

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE-UP!"

In moments, Sailor Moon stood there defiantly. "I can't let you take those Talismans, Eugial! Those Talismans are the Heart Crystals of my dear, dear friends, and if you take them, they'll die! I am the Pretty Sailor Suited Soldier, SAILOR MOON! In the name of the Moon, I'll punish you!"

Eugial simply laughed again. "Sorry, Sailor Moon! I have a new trick up my sleeve!" With that, she whipped out the hose and cylinder attached to the device on her back. With this new Fire Buster 2, you'll be no match for me! Now, goodbye, Sailor Moon. FIRE BUSTER!" 

Within a moment, roaring flames surrounded Sailor Moon. Things did not look good...

~*~

  
In spite of the way you were mocking me

Acting like I was part of your property  
Remembering all the times you fought with me  
I'm surprised 

~*~

"It got so far," Usagi said sadly, as she stared across the plains at distant Mega-Tokyo from the Senshi's base on Mount Fuji. The year was 2023, and it was very likely that soon Tokyo would be destroyed by an atomic strike, like so many other major cities in the world already had been. She knew that this was necessary, that this was already history, but it still broke her heart.

"Yes," Sailor Pluto said, beside her, "it did. But now it will be destroyed, and a thousand years of nuclear winter, the Great Darkness, will reign before you and the other Senshi can awake and create Crystal Tokyo. Come now, your Majesty, we don't want to have to treat your eyes when they are damaged by looking at the blast."

Usagi spun and stared at Pluto furiously. "A hundred million people are about to die, and you're worried about my eyes!?"

Pluto sighed, for she already knew she wouldn't win this argument. "As you wish, your Majesty."

Usagi turned back, and watched without flinching as the blast went off and devastated everything for fifty miles around the center of Mega-Tokyo. Only after the dust had settled would she allow the others to lead her down into the base and repair her eyes, which had been badly damaged by brightness of the blast.

~*~

  
Things aren't the way they were before  
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore  
Not that you knew me back then  
But it all comes back to me

~*~

"In the end," Neo-Queen Serenity said sadly, "we knew this would happen." She and her Senshi were watching from a balcony of the palace as the forces of the Black Moon Clan devastated her city. "Despite a hundred years of prosperity and happiness, there are always those who are dissatisfied. The Darkness can never be banished; only beat back."

Beside her, Senshi Mercury smiled. "But we know that we will once again beat it back, with the help of our past selves."

The Neo-Queen sighed in frustration. "I tried my hardest to satisfy them. I hoped that the future could be changed, but no matter what I did, they couldn't be satisfied..."

"Don't worry, my Queen," Senshi Mars said, wrapping her arms around her liege from behind. "Some things are fated. It is their own downfall they are causing."

Serenity leaned against Mars, taking comfort. "I know, Rei, I know. I just... just feel so sorry for them. They are deluded, and in the wrong, but... I wish I had found some way to help them..."

Jupiter, who had been sitting nearby, stood. "Well, we know what we need to do. No sense in putting it off." 

The Queen sighed, and nodded. The Senshi left to meet their fate.

~*~

  
You kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart  
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I  
I tried so hard  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter!

~*~

"I've put my trust in you," Neo-Queen Serenity XXIII said to the man in front of her. 

The man standing before the Neo-Queen nodded solemnly. She continued. "You and your work are our greatest hope of finally returning to the Moon. With the help of your Sol Satellites, not only will we have better information about activity on the Sun that might affect our colonists on the Moon, we will also have an infinite source of energy far more effective than any before, when the energy collection and transmission functions of you satellites go online. I and all of my court commend you!" With that, every person in the massive throne room burst into applause. 

The scientist smiled modestly, and motioned for silence. When he had it, he said, "Your applause is too much, really. I am just a simple scientist, trying to make life better for us all." He paused for another scattered round of applause. "Really, no more. Now, as you know... I am the last member of the infamous Black Moon Clan. I have worked all my life to dispel the bad name of my family, and now, I, Topazio, will finally clear the last of the dishonor away from my name, by doing more to benefit human society than anyone short of our marvelous line of Queens and Senshi!"

This time, the applause was deafening, and Topazio smiled broadly.

~*~

  
Pushed as far as I can go  
And for all this  
There's only one thing you should know

~*~

"I've put my trust in _you," Topazio the scientist said to himself, "my Queen." He was smiling grimly as he prepared to send the final commands to his satellites. "Your naivety is amazing. Never have we had such a trusting, wonderful Queen. Only under your reign would I have been able to get away with my scheme. Finally, the Black Moon Clan will be avenged!" With that, he hit the enter key._

Far away, near the surface of the Sun, dozens of satellites slowly transformed into massive beam weapons. After a moment, they all simultaneously fire directly down into the sun. When the beams hit the core, they triggered a chain reaction...

And Sol went supernova.

~*~

Pushed as far as I can go  
And for all this  
There's only one thing you should know...

~*~

"I tried so hard," Serenity XXIII sobbed, as she fearfully watched Sol expanding, increasing the light, increasing the heat. Already it was dreadfully hot during the coldest time of the year. Far hotter than it ever got. The heat would kill everything on Earth long before the superheated wave of plasma engulfed the planet and transformed it into the ball of magma it had once been, billions of years ago. 

She stuttered on. "I wanted to live up to the reputation of my ancestors, but... I wasn't ready! I never should have been Queen so young!" Her resemblance to the original Neo-Queen at the same age would have astonished her.

"Your Majesty..." Mars said from behind the Neo-Queen. The sea level was rising, a small corner of her mind noticed. "Your Majesty, it's not your fault for being trusting. It is a wonderful quality. With all the investigation we all did, we never suspected his scheme." Like her predecessor, so many centuries before, she wrapped her arms around her Queen. "My Queen, you and your line will have been the most incredible thing that has ever happened to the human race. You've made more people happy than every other group or person our history, combined... Everyone will still love you..."

The two silently watched the advancing super-nova, until the Neo-Queen passed out from the heat. Smiling at her Queen, Mars felt a tear boiling on her cheek. "It must be something to do with the power of Mars that makes me love you, my Queen, for as far as I know, every Senshi Mars has loved her Queen with all her heart. But whether it is the power of Mars or simply my own heart, I do... truly... love you..."

With that, even the Senshi of Fire passed out from the incredible heat. 

And minutes later, Earth was scorched clean, leaving no sign that humanity had ever been. 

~*~

  
And got so far  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter  
I had to fall  
And lose it all  
  
  


~*~  
  
  


"But in the end, it doesn't even matter..." the entity said, smirking at the approaching super-nova from atop a cliff top on the lifeless face of Charon. "Nothing ever lasts. Everything crumbles to dust; entropy rules all. There is no 'happily ever after.' But my work _here is done forever more, and now I have a dance to attend."_

With that, The Herald of the Outer Gods, Nyarlathotep, the Crawling Chaos, returned to his masters, those idiot gods that will dance at the center of the universe around their Daemon-Sultan, Azathoth, to the thin, monotonous whine of accursed flutes, until the universe collapses around them, and even they succumb to oblivion. 

The (Ultimate) End 

Author's notes: Cheerful, ain't it? Well, I'm not sure what to say about this one. It popped into my head one day, when listening to "In the End." In between that very true song, and reading too much H.P. Lovecraft, this story came out. 

Ultimately, humans are funny things. Even the most pessimistic of us live in a state of incredible optimism. We all know that we will die someday, and most of us know that eventually, humanity will go extinct, the sun will collapse or supernova, the Universe will eventually either collapse or pull so far apart that gravity no longer exists, rendering life impossible... Anyway, with all this knowledge, we still have the strength to go on with our lives. It's really pretty cool, when you stop and think about it. Life is an amazing little thing. 

Just a couple of notes; most of those scenes were pulled out of thin air. I made no attempt to follow more than the most general plot points over the course of Sailor Moon's timeline. It is pretty much all based off the anime, except for how Usagi was alerted to Naru's plight, which came from the manga. 

Now, the are some philosophical points in this fic, but nothing really deep except for how pointless everything is, and how great humans are considering that we don't care. However, it was somewhat clever, I think. Those of you familiar with the lyrics of "In the End..." will probably be able to recognize that the first line of each scene is a line out of the song. So, my hope here is that I've entertained you all with my cleverness. Have a nice day. 

As usual of late, I'm too impatient to wait for my pre-reader to edit this story. It's going up now, and once I get it back edited, I'll put up the revision. Therefore, any screw-ups, misspellings, or typos in this story are mine and mine alone. 

Well, time for my Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, or any of the characters. Look to Pioneer and Naoko Takeuchi for that. I do not own Nyarlathotep or Azathoth either; he was created by H.P. Lovecraft, though I don't know if anyone owns him anymore, since he's long dead. I don't own "In the End," that is owned by the band Linkin Park. If there is anything else I missed, I don't own it either. The only thing I own is this story, which is Copyright 2002 by C-kun and Book, Staff, and Spirit Productions. Thanks all. 


End file.
